Staff induction for new employees - Your learning and development

Learning and Development is important to us and ensures our employees have the skills, behaviours and interest to do a great job, we encourage everyone to engage with continuous learning.

Initial learning and development needs will be identified in the first few weeks of your employment. You will see reference to this on your Induction Checklist.

Learning needs will vary person to person and service to service and will be carefully planned in order to enable you, as a new employee, to become effective in your new role. You will also have the opportunity to review your learning and development needs throughout your probationary period.

Alongside this there are a wide range of learning and development options available directly from your service area and also from the Organisational Development and Workforce Training team.

Core Essential Learning

All Westmorland and Furness Council employees are required to undertake seven core essential learning modules. These topics are essential for all due to either being a legal requirement for the organisation or to support our Council Plan.

For the following core essential learning modules, it is a legal or corporate requirement that we all complete them:

• Information Security and Data Protection
• Health, Safety and Wellbeing
• Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging
• Safeguarding Awareness (Children’s and Adult’s)
• Prevent
• Customer Solutions/Service
• Climate Change

Information Security and Data Protection is required to be completed on your first day with us, and the rest to be completed during your induction. Some courses may be required to be renewed. If you don’t have easy access to ICT, there is an alternative format available; your line manager will ensure this is provided to you.

‘My Learning’

‘My Learning’ is our learning management system (LMS) and is designed to provide you with a range of eLearning courses, training events, developmental tools and techniques. Some of these will assist in supporting face to face and virtual training events and give you instant access to a range of learning opportunities.

You can also view all our training events and book a place on an event yourself directly. My Learning courses can be accessed from any computer or device including mobile phones, tablets or smart TVs that have a connection to the internet.

All employees can access My Learning through iLearn.

Apprenticeships

We currently have a significant apprenticeship commitment (check wording). This includes offering apprenticeship programmes to our existing employees, as well as recruiting external apprenticeship roles.

We currently offer a variety of apprenticeship standards, across a wide range of service areas. Please discuss with your line manager during your employment, if you are interested in pursuing an apprenticeship.

Appraisals - Valuing Individuals and Performance (VIP)

We promote regular and informal conversations that focus on strengths, wellbeing, performance and development. You will have a VIP conversation with your line manager and use this time to recognise your successes, agree development and goals for the year ahead.